Virginia Beach has no shortage of seafood spots, so a 30-minute wait at a place this large on a Saturday night tells you something meaningful. Six of us came in around 6:30 for a college reunion weekend, wanting one proper local seafood meal out of the trip. We put our names down and grabbed drinks from the bar before choosing a space to sit outside. The restaurant is really big, with indoor seating, outdoor sea-facing tables, and a little market in the back. There's also a picnic table area with some giant lawn game going, which is where we enjoyed our drinks, making the wait genuinely pleasant instead of something to endure. For our first round, we tried the "crush," the local specialty, and ordered one of every flavor. Fresh squeezed juice, flavored vodka, triple sec, Sprite. Grapefruit and cherry limeade were the winners. The pineapple was awful. None of them were very strong, so after the novelty wore off I moved on to something more my speed (nothing beats a tequila soda). They also have a respectable beer selection. Our table ended up right by the water with a view of the boats, and our waitress was so helpful walking us through the menu, including the fact that lumpia is a local specialty here thanks to the area's Filipino population, which I did not know. We got oysters and three other appetizers, then split one entree between every two people since the portions are enormous. The fried shrimp was the unanimous favorite, and the spinach crab dip, lumpia, blackened crab cake (almost everyone ordered it), potato salad, and hushpuppies were all excellent. All of that, plus roughly two cocktails a person and tip, came to about $50 each, which felt like quite the steal for high quality seafood! Big attached parking lot, docks if you're coming in by boat, and the market sells shirts, hats, fresh crab meat, take-home versions of the appetizers, and fishing basics. There was a bit of a line/wait if you wanted to use the women's restroom (but isn't that the case everywhere?) I would definitely come back here next time I'm in town!! read more

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If you are looking for awesome seafood with beautiful views, this is the place. Excellent service and great place to eat and enjoy. We had fried calamari and Buffalo wings for appetizers- totally loved them, Greek Salad, Fried Shrimp platter and grilled chicken for entree was phenomenal ! Highly recommend the place! read more

What a nice day; first the beach and then a late lunch/early dinner at Dockside! My friend and I both enjoyed our meal - we shared the Surf Burger which was plenty big enough for two! And, we shared some Hush Puppies and Spinach Artichoke Crab Dip, too. Everything came out tasty and fast. The staff were all friendly and engaging. They also sell fresh seafood to cook at home, and they have a little store for souvenirs and such. There is outside seating, as well, which was very nice enjoying our meal while looking out at the water. Cute restaurant with a bar inside, too. In the area? Check Them Out! read more

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The stuffed shrimp was delicious and very rich! The hushpuppies were good, but 4 per "side" so a double order would be the move next time. Plenty of regulars and the bartender made you feel like a regular even if you were a first timer. The Key Lime Pie wasn't anything special, the crust was very mehh. read more

Dockside Seafood Market - Stuffed Shrimp w/ Hushpuppies & Fries - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Great.... At turning tables. This meal was rushed with mediocre service and mediocre food. If you're into a quick (and I mean quick!) bite, plastic cups, plastic wine "glasses" and skimpy wine pours, this is the place for you. You can tell they cater to the tourists and don't give a crap because they know they won't be back. Farewell Dockside. read more

My favorite local spot for oysters Rockefeller. They are consistently good. They also have a wonderful Greek salsad and she crab soup. My mother gets the fried flounder sandwich and loves it. The atmosphere is amazing. Go on a nice day and sit outside. If the temp gets cooler, they will turn on the fire table beside you. read more

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We stopped in for a late lunch and ate on the patio by the water. Loved the view of all the boats passing by! The food was excellent! We had the steamed oysters which were very good, large and generous portion. I had the broiled crab cake, scallops and shrimp with red potatoes and fresh vegetables. The best! The crab cake was all crab and zero filler. My husband had the fresh snapper and said it was excellent. Service was very good, enjoyed it so much we Will definitely be going back soon! read more

The food was very good! I had the Surf Burger for my meal with fries! Appetizer- hush puppies and spinach/crab dip! The server was very good and knowledgeable about the menu! The ambiance is great! I sat outside and enjoyed the water view and watching the boats going by! read more

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Such a cute chill date vibe! The food is GOOD. Most is fried, but they do it right. Enjoy yourself, be a little naughty, and get some fried food here... you won't regret it. And the view it's lovely. So therapeutic :) get the spinach and artichoke dip, you won't regret it! Scallops were very tender but had liquid at the bottom of the pan. Service was super fast, receptive, and friendly :) read more

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Our third time here. Average Sunday at 6;30. Easily found a table. 20 minutes and nobody comes over. So I go to the bar to get a round. From there we waited 45 minutes. No service. I'm pissed and go to the bar to ask about our server. Five minutes later a server comes and pretends like she's doing us a favor. So we walk out pissed after wasting nearly an hour and 20 minutes for nothing. This almost seemed like we were being pranked. Clearly they need to work on the service part of the hospitality business. read more

Outstanding service, fresh seafood, dining with a sunset view!! What's not to love!!! Our waitress was so friendly and attentive as well as extremely helpful!! She took our orders straight away! We ordered the Scallops Saint Jacques and the Drunken Sailor platter. The Scallops Saint Jacques was decadently drenched in the best cheese ever!! The scallops were large and succulently sweet and tender!! It was heavenly!! My friend said he was surprised to see the portions on the Drunken Sailor platter were quite generous and done well!! He enjoyed the shrimp, fish and sides. My scallops came with 2 sides of choice (I picked the red potato salad and fries) The sun was setting and it was a gorgeous view from our table, which we opted for the outdoor deck overlooking the bay. Even though it was cold, they had the heaters and the clear tarp down, so it was nice and toasty dining out on the deck. Highly recommend this place for lunch and dinner!!! It's always been a winner!! read more

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Flounde sandwich was very good I especially like it's Christmas the coleslaw was a bit different seemed like the dressing was put on top and then I could mix it myself however it was good enjoyed the atmosphere completely and the view of the ocean and the boats coming in and out was a lot of fun read more

Here in June this year. Alittle more activity. Warm but not too hot to eat outside. Service was excellent. Bloody Mary excellent as usual. Eastern shore oysters nice and meaty. Nice house salad...add a crab cake! read more

Dockside Seafood Market - Oysters on the half shell - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Not sure what has happened to Dockside!! Haven't eaten there in a year . It was so different. Got the trio, the scallops were tasteless and not even cooked well. The shrimp was like rubber (didn't even eat them) The crab cake was just ok! My sister ordered Rockfish and they brought out 2 little strips of sad fish . Fortunately she knew it wasn't rockfish so they brought another plate and admitted they were wrong . I won't be back , sadly read more

I love this place! From the market to the restaurant. I love eating outside and watching the boats slowly glide by and wave at everyone. Now the food! I always come and get the butterfly shrimp! That are lightly fried to perfection and the lumpia. But this time I changed it up and got the oyster Rockefeller. I will say the Rockefeller had a lot of cheese on it than my likings but it was very filling paring the two. My waiter was very attentive and nice. Overall the ambiance in the day or night is amazing and always a shore dr gem! read more

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Nice, serene location on the water off Shore Drive. Service was prompt since no one was in there, greeting was lukewarm. Food was mediocre, it lacked seasoning. The she crab soup was good, crab pieces were minced. Oyster Rockefeller had good size oysters but the spinach was overcooked. The flounder lacked flavor. read more

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Family outing for late lunch. We sat outside on this beautiful day. We ordered the spinach, artichoke, and crab dip and my cousin had the oysters Rockefeller. I had the salmon salad, my sister had the crab cakes, and my cousin had the fried shrimp platter. Our waitress Shannon was very nice and attentive. I would definitely go back read more

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I have been to Dockside around 75 times. It has always been my favorite place for crab cakes and thought they were the best in VB. Since March, however, the quality of the cakes has gone downhill. They have a lot more filler and frequently have more than one piece of shell. They are now just average. Find someplace else. I am going to. read more

Had an amazing dinner at dockside last night. Cool, on the water vibes with excellent food!! Loved our service. The atmosphere is so fun and the food was fresh. Had fried shrimp with buffalo sauce, she crab soup and crab cakes. So yummy!! read more

I went for the market where they had fresh fish. They had multiple fishes and most of it were fresh since it was a Saturday. It was clean and neat. The person who attended us was very friendly and explained our doubts about each fish. We brought Tilefish and it was delicious!! Would recommend the fish market!! read more

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The service was great. Our waitress took very good care of us despite it being a busy holiday. She did forget the stray request but overall she contributed to the experience in a positive way. The ambience is casual, local vibe with the water view and outdoor seating to watch the boats dock. Now, the food. It was a little underwhelming. The calamari ate a little too soft, the she crab soup was on the bland side, and my crab cake was filled with crab but not much else in terms of taste. My MIL enjoyed her flounder and my husband seemed to like his fried trio. I also liked my hush puppies and felt they were the perfect bite size. 4 stars for service and ambience, 3 stars for food. read more

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Our server, Kai provided exceptional service! He evoked warmth and was attentive without being overbearing. We came in for an early dinner and chose outdoor seating, which ended up being peaceful as we were able to look out onto the water and land in the distance. We took advantage of their $18 sunset special entrees, opting for the shrimp parmesan and crabcake. The former was coated in a flavorful tomato sauce garnished with parsley; the shrimp was breaded well but there were sparse pieces. The crabcake was served with chunky, well-seasoned fries and coleslaw. However, we did encounter bits of shell. We also got the fried calamari appetizer, which was served as a generous portion and seasoned well. Would recommend this spot to anyone in the area craving seafood! read more

Dockside Seafood Market - crabcake, shrimp parm - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

I am writing to share my disappointment regarding a recent visit. I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience warranted feedback. When I ordered a Greek salad and asked about adding fish, the server suggested all the fish selections they had without mentioning the upcharge, so I went with the rockfish, which she entered as a rockfish entree with the salad as the 2 sides, which significantly increased the price. Furthermore, the bartender was rude to me on 2 separate occasions while I was at the bar. When I reached out to the manager to discuss these issues, I was met with defensiveness rather than understanding. Instead of addressing my concerns, she criticized me for not reviewing the menu (we were on the outside deck and sat when people left their table and I saw the Greek salad with a crab cake being served so I did not need to look at the menu) I left the phone call feeling dismissed and undervalued as a customer. read more

Dockside Seafood Market - Meal receipt - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Went by for a late lunch. The three of us sat at the bar. I ordered the fried clams with fries lunch special. Others ordered shrimp basket and another got the she crab soup. My clams were great. Nice big perfectly fried strips. Very good dipped in the cocktail sauce. The shrimp were big and the soup delicious. Great view of the water from the bar. Our server was friendly and provided great service. read more

Dockside Seafood Market - Clam strips with fries special - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

This was our first stop after landing in Virginia Beach. Walking in kinda threw us off as we thought this was only a small seafood market. Just head to the back and it opens up to a small gem of a restaurant on the water. We decided to take a seat outside and we enjoyed the atmosphere and the delicious food that was served up. I have to say after spending 4 days in the area I came to love this area and honestly could see myself living here. read more

If you're looking for the true waterside VA Beach vibe, this is it! Food is not the best per se, but the menu is the best you'll find, service is fantastic, and views to die for (or just hang out with your meal and drinks.) We found the food all somewhat bland, and sadly, the salt shakers are all pretty much solid due to being outside. I was so excited for Halibut! But mine was visibly tasteless and pretty underdone, but edible. And I was not expecting the veg medley to be mostly cabbage. The Potato side was very good! Crab dip was good, but I guess I wasn't expecting bagged tortilla chips (although I'm sure that was on the menu), and I was pretty annoyed that the shareable serving was mostly crumbs, impossible to dip. But again, this is a great joint especially for out-of-towners looking for real seafood in a CASUAL and great setting. Our Indiana family visitors were tickled and said it was exactly what they were looking for before heading back to the Plains states! Pro tip: on Sunday evenings, they are getting to the end of the fresh fish haul, so you might get much larger portions as they need to deplete the stock! Also though, some items may be out. But your server will certainly tell you! Parking is a little tight, as several places share the main lot. I do not recommend taking a large vehicle (like a Chevy Silverado for instance ;-)) read more

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They were out of crabs when we arrived, but the space looked clean and orderly. I also saw then freshly steamed fish being prepared for customers waiting. We didnt get actual service becasue they notified us that the oysters were sold out. read more

Best seafood lunch specials at the beach! Great service, terrific views, and fair prices. Just GO!

Terrible experience, manager Angie literally gave her number to my husband while I got up to go to bathroom. Quite disgraceful. Terrible people you have working for you, clearly my husband, no good . read more

I tried their signature roll. The salmon was fresh and buttery and avocado was so creamy. Delicious

Took one star away because we sat there for 20 mins without even water offered. I will say it sounds like our swrver might have been on break or some miscimmunication but not great on her coworkers not twlling her for so long. That aside she was actually really attentive. We ordered the spinach and artichoke crab dip and hush puppies both were good. I was surpiswd to see 5 fish in the fresh catch of the day. I ordered a tuna sandwich mediterranean style and my husband went with the flounder. Mine was amazing flavorful cooked to perfection and very fresh tasting. His fish was also very good can not get over the fresh taste! The restaurant is on the water and you see boats going by people having fun,its really entertaining. We were there at sunset this is a perfect spot for it too! I totally recommend read more

The food was mediocre; it was a lot better when we ate at Resturant but to go crab-cakes were not too good. Based on what others have said, I can agree that this time was mediocre. My friend wants to go so I will give them one more time in which I am confident, the food will be better. read more

I stopped by during the week, I'd say early afternoon and it wasn't busy. We were seated immediately and sat outside on the dock. It was fairly quiet, everyone outside is just enjoying their meal. With all the boats and jet skis passing by it was still peaceful and if anything contributed to the ambiance of being near the water. The menu is decent, but limited. There isn't an option to add to your plate (i.e extra scallops) with the exception of a side of fried shrimp. You'd have to order a whole platter if you want something not included in your meal. My husband likes to order a variety of seafood so not having the option to add to his platter was disappointing. My husband ordered the seafood platter. He enjoyed the scallops, the crab cake had excellent flavor and texture but that came to an end when he kept having to pick shells out of it. Keep in mind if you order the seafood platter fried it comes with fish, broiled doesn't. I ordered the whole fried red snapper. It was excellent and I don't mind picking through bones (my mom worked at a seafood cannery my entire childhood so I've learned some things from her). I ordered potatoes and Cole slaw but received the vegetable medley instead. Wasn't thrilled about that but didn't return it back since our waiter wasn't around often. The medley lacked flavor and so did the coleslaw as it was watery. I recommend looking at their menu prior to going, and reading current reviews from other patrons as I did. Our waiter didn't mention other items/info not listed on the menu. I had to ask and only did so because I read past reviews about the availability of items. Otherwise, he would not have brought it to our attention. The ambiance and main entrees will bring me back. I'll give this place another shot and try something new, especially the sides, to see if it'll keep me there as a long term repeating customer. I do suggest going during the week and if possible earlier in the day. Bottom line, this is a great place to get fresh seafood. Just a few changes on the things mentioned would make it even better. read more

Dockside Seafood Market - View from our table out on the dock. - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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We went for an early lunch and was greeted by the most lovely waitress. The crab cakes, shrimp and scallops were the best we have ever had while visiting Va. beach. We sat at a deck table with birds nearby the smell of the ocean and a cool breeze. I would recommend this seafood restaurant to anyone. read more

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Very good and fresh food with great portions. Service was excellent Highly recommended

We are from out of town and went to lunch here based on the good reviews we saw online. My grilled fish was raw in the middle, our steamed clams were undercooked, and my husband's blackened chicken was just plain, grilled chicken. Not a good experience and we won't be returning. read more

Prime location, fresh seafood, excellent service, speedy delivery, attentive. Great views and definitely a hot spot. Just a great take all around. read more

Dockside Seafood Market - Hush puppies / coleslaw - Seafood Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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This is a popular spot. The market is great, with fresh catch daily if you want to prepare at home. There are fishing boats tied up outside. They offer daily fishing trips if interested. The restaurant is behind the market, on the water. The ambience and the views are awesome. Especially as the sunsets over the water. They have some of the freshest seafood I've eaten. Oysters, shrimp, catch of the day, it doesn't matter. It will be delicious. There is enough free parking. The service is good, considering that during the summer months, it can get busy on the weekends. You can see why. Highly recommend. We always take crab cakes home; they are great. read more

We were looking into some sit-down eating options in the Virginia Beach area and saw that Dockside had some consistently good reviews. It was nice to see that they had a fresh market on-site so that everything was caught and prepared fresh. We entered the parking lot around 5 pm on a Tuesday. The lot was pretty full...not because of the amount of cars...but moreso because the parking spaces were extremely tight...it doesn't help when almost everyone has an SUV or Pickup truck. So there were lot of vehicles taking up two spaces and everyone was being extra care when maneuvering within the lot. After we parking safely in a far corner space, we entered the initial marketplace area. They seemed to have a wide variety of everything seafood...fish, shellfish, seasoning, etc... At that time they had started to put some things away...but some seafood was still out in the case. We made our way to the back and while there was a short wait for outdoor seating...there was no wait for indoor seating. (Outdoor seating is really nice since it is right on the water). Inside was pretty busy with server hustling all over. Our nice server took our drink and food order quickly. Our drinks were brought over immediately and food following soon after. We had a few things...shrimp, fish, scallops, and fries. Everything was really fresh and very good...but what stole the show was the crab cake...it was really some of the best I've ever had. Prices were very reasonable considering how expensive seafood can be. All staff we encountered were nice and helpful. I highly recommend this place to anyone in the area craving seafood...I would love to return to try some other options and eat outside. read more

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Service took a little, but was adequate once we got it. The food on the other hand was mediocre at best. The appetizer which consisted of the oysters Rockefeller was smothered in so much spinach and cheese that it had ti be a 70 to 30 ratio when it came to the oyster and overpowered the it. One also was ice cold in the center and not cooked all the way through. And the coleslaw was just chopped cabbage and a sauce drizzled on the top. No imagination to that side. The fried shrimp, battered calamari, and side red potatoes lacked any flavor. Everything looked fantastic from first sight, but when it comes to food it's about the taste and not solely on what it looks like. read more